Memberships

[Hobbs]

I know the topic was discussed on CS.com, and I asked questions there, but has there been any discussion here about possibly charging for membership dues? Or perhaps making it voluntary? I dunno a lot about doing all of this forum stuff, but I wouldn't mind pitching in a few dollars, especially since I have a steady income.

[Lace Neil Singer]

What about those of us who live from hand to mouth and couldn't afford to pay for membership? Should we be excluded and be unable to post here cuz we can't afford to pay?

I'd suggest a donation button as a better suggestion; that way, anyone who wants to chip in a few quid can do so, rather than making it compulsory.

Edit: I did see where you said "voluntary"; I'm mainly replying to the membership thing.

[Hobbs]

Oh, well I simply didn't have a better word for it. Of course if you can't pay, you shouldn't be obligated to. I don't think Raps would do that anyway.

[the_std]

I do believe this topic has been brought up before, and Raps had declined because he wants to retain full control of the board and its contents. Accepting other peoples' money means that people are more entitled to demanding change. This way, Raps gets to keep things the way he wants them.

[Rapscallion]

No intention of that at the moment.

Main reason is that this place is a good release valve for the other sites I run (it's more than that, but that's the main purpose - keeps them ticking along nicely), and I value the communities enough to fork out to keep them going.

Also worth noting that I used to be a minor admin on a game that ran itself on donations. Any disciplinary action involving anyone who had donated resulted in them pulling the, "I paid for this game!" card. Yeah, it was mentioned in the rules. Still happened. Ended up quite a few people being refunded.

Interestingly, even though I've not been there for some time, I've checked the rules and you can get out of disciplinary by paying now. Shrug.

Besides which, it's all paperwork. Never underestimate how much I hate paperwork.

Rapscallion

[Hobbs]

I know you value the community, Raps, and I understand what std is saying, but wouldn't it be nice to just have the option? Also, most people here are CSers, so I would assume they know that it'd be voluntary and how not to be a cock about it.

[Ree]

I would assume they know that it'd be voluntary and how not to be a cock about it.
Hmmm...one would think that, but that's where assuming gets you.

Some people can find any excuse to act like a cock.
As Raps said, some people see a paid membership as a chance to do whatever they wish without repercussions because they paid to be a member.

Seriously, I fail to see why anyone would suggest voluntarily paying for a membership when it's already free.

[Hobbs]

Seriously, I fail to see why anyone would suggest voluntarily paying for a membership when it's already free.

Because this stuff has to cost a bit, and it'd be the nice thing to do to help out Raps. I've already noted that "membership" was a misnomer for what I meant.

[blas87]

If you offer someone something and they politely decline, it's best to just leave it at that ;)

[Hobbs]

I really don't know what you're getting at, Blas.

Anyway, I mainly brought it up because we discussed it on CS. Although, I can't remember rightly who started that conversation, and I don't think I can access it.

[ZedOmega]

I think blas means that if Raps says he's got the costs covered, donations really aren't necessary on our parts. I admit it'd be an awesome gesture towards him to want to help shoulder even a fragment of the costs to keep the sites open, though.

[Plaidman]

Did that happen with Mr. Sluggar? I was a paid memembership there. I didn't think for a second I'd get away with any crap, but I wanted to have the games and the blog and the host of other little niceties that membership got.

But it likely would split. I've seen it at other boards, the Paying and the nonpaying. The paying tends to crap all over the nonpaying, and do act superior to them. The mods also tended to kiss the paying people ass too on top of it.

Donations could work.

But the paying and non paying shouldn't happen at a great site.

[Bloodsoul]

I just realized that I'm spending more times on the sites and games I visit/play for free, than I do with the sites/games I paid a (Lifetime) Membership Fee for (like Adventure Quest, The Lord of the Rings: Online, and Vampire Rave.. although the latter did come with a free shirt as a result).

This is actually something that I'm going to have to worry about myself if my own site were to ever grow in popularity and if I ever get my forum off the ground. One thing I want to do above all else is not rely on ads.

[Hobbs]

Oh, I hate sites that rely solely on ads. It clutters everything up. I thought LOTR was free though.

[Lace Neil Singer]

One site that I go on, there's premium membership that you pay for and get extras. However, it does not stop you from being punished on forums if you misbehave; no matter what people might think... and we've had a few be disabused of that notion on forums before. "I've got premi so I can do what I like!" Um, no you can't if what you like to do is spam and harrass other members. -.-